Issues
Want to disconnect from your phone? Automakers are making that tougher
Staying plugged in — whether at the office, on vacation, or even in your vehicle — has become the new normal, and carmakers may be helping to fuel Americans’ addiction to their smartphones. Vehicle voice recognition systems make it easy for drivers to respond to text messages and calls. In some cases, a driver’s cellphone…
Tesla accidents with Smart Summon feature draw NHTSA’s attention
Jason Levine, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, told Automotive News in an interview that he’s concerned Tesla tried to “insulate themselves from liability” by including — in the software release notes — that Smart Summon is only intended for use in private parking lots and driveways. According to data from NHTSA, 2,100 people died…
NTSB Seeks New Seat Belt Requirements for Limos After Crash
“While we concur with NTSB’s recommendations, based on the administration’s complete failure since day one to issue new car safety regulations, it is unlikely there will be any significant new federal requirements regarding limousine safety,” said Jason Levine, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, a nonprofit advocacy group. ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Federal…
Tesla owners post videos of accidents, near misses while using new Smart Summon feature
“Tesla’s continued use of the intentionally misleading and factually inaccurate term ‘full self-driving’ speaks to the company’s only concern: keeping their brand in the news and staying ahead of their next quarterly earnings report,” Jason Levine, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, said in an emailed statement to Automotive News. “The summon feature…
Industry spends big to sell safety of driverless cars
“The public remains skeptical of the safety assurances being made by manufacturers despite the vast sums of money being paid to lobbyists to rewrite laws in order to sell unproven autonomous technology for use on public streets,” Jason Levine, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, told The Hill. Major players in the self-driving…
Government safety organization investigating Nissan Rogue emergency braking problems
“This is great safety technology when it works but dangerous when it doesn’t,” said Jason Levine, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety. Chicago (WLS) — A national safety organization has opened an investigation into a problem with Nissan Rogue safety technology that the I-Team reported on in July. “The car just slammed that emergency…
U.S. probes 553,000 Nissan Rogue SUVs for unintended emergency braking
The probe into 2017-2018 model year Nissan Rogue and Rogue Sport vehicles follows a petition from the Center for Auto Safety seeking a formal government investigation. The petition noted that Nissan previously issued a Technical Service Bulletin, launched two “Quality Actions,” and initiated a “Customer Service Initiative” to address concerns. Center for Auto Safety Executive…
GM Recalls Almost 3.5 Million SUVs and Pickups for a Brake Problem
Jason Levine, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, said in an email that the recall’s timeline raises concerns, especially because a recall was issued in June for Canadian owners. “The question isn’t whether 9 months was fast enough to get from opening the investigation to this recall; the question is why did GM’s…